Woman caught after brandishing meat cleaver in robbery in Nanaimo

A 31-year-old Nanaimo woman was arrested yesterday after she allegedly pulled a meat cleaver on staff in a liquor store.

According to Nanaimo RCMP, police were called to the Quarterway Liquor Store on Bowen Road at about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, just after store staff confronted the woman for allegedly stealing alcohol. The woman pulled out a meat cleaver during the confrontation and then she and her male companion ran out of the store.

The suspect, Angelina Emma Beans, was caught a short distance from the store, but her alleged accomplice is still on the loose and being sought by police.

Beans was found with the stolen liquor, which was returned to the store, several pieces of stolen identification and a meat cleaver.

Beans appeared in Nanaimo provincial court on Thursday and was formally charged with one count of robbery and four counts of possession of stolen property. She is being held in custody until her next court appearance Tuesday, March 20.

“It’s a good eye-opener for a lot of reasons,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “One is employees should always be aware that when confronting shoplifters they could be armed with a weapons, as was the case here, and secondly, for the individual charged with the offence, she has increased the jeopardy. She’s taken this from a simple theft under $5,000 to a robbery … Depending on circumstances, she could be looking at a four-year [prison] term. That’s federal time. Theft under is six months or a $2,000 fine. Theft under is very minor in relation to a robbery.”